Small Nectarines
Estimated Inventory, 20 lbs : 0
Description/Taste
Sweet and succulent, irresistible golden-red nectarines are a smooth-skinned variety of the peach offering a rich fruity flavor. Just like peaches, nectarines may be freestone or clingstone.
Seasons/Availability
Imported in winter, the California nectarine's prime season is May through September.
Current Facts
The nectarine's flesh is usually yellow and the skin red and yellow, but there is also a variety called Blanca Del Jalon that is greenish white.
Nutritional Value
A good source of fiber, a five ounce serving contains about 79 calories, 10 percent of the RDA of vitamin C, 20 percent of vitamin A, and 16 grams of carbohydrates. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
Absolutely delicious, and no need to peel, sprinkle with super-fine sugar, top with white wine or sherry, or poach. Substitute for bananas on cereal. For a taste treat, top nectarine halves with ice cream, raspberry puree and nuts. For an unusual dessert, gently grill; add a splash of amaretto. This fruit especially complements duck entrees. Spice up their sweetness with cinnamon, ginger, mace, almonds, Marsala, rum or coriander. To store, keep at room temperature. If becoming too ripe, refrigerate for no longer than two days. Too much chilling robs them of their juicy flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Having a flavor so fine, this fruit is named for "nectar," the legendary drink of the classical gods. In France, it is called brugnon; in Germany: Nektarinenpfirsich; in Italy: nocepesca; in Spain: nectareo nectarino; in Sweden: nektarin; in Russia: gladkiy persik; in Greece: melorobakino; in Persia: shaleel; in China: you tao; in Japan: nekutarin; and in Poland, it is called brzoskwinia zwyczajina.
Geography/History
First described by a European writer in 1587, the mysterious origin of the nectarine is unknown. Having a questionable birth certificate, the nectarine is not a cross between a peach and a plum as some believe. To add to the mystery, Luther Burbank, a botonist, claims the nectarine is older than the peach. It seems the nectarine was merely created from the magical dust from which everything else was created. According to Parkinson, there were six varieties of this fruit in England by 1629. The fruit, however, did not make its appearance in the United States until the nineteenth century. California supplies ninety-eight percent of the domestic crop, with Washington ranking second. Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, and New Jersey also produce small amounts of excellent quality. Chile is the largest exporter to the United States.
